No Kentucky tax incentives for Noah's Ark and Tower of Babel!

No Kentucky tax incentives for Noah's Ark and Tower of Babel!

Started
December 4, 2010
Petition Closed
This petition had 374 supporters

Why this petition matters

Ark Encounter LLC, a for-profit entity, and Answers in Genesis, the nonprofit ministry that built the Creation Museum in Petersburg, will partner to build the $150 million Ark Encounter on a 160-acre site, including Noah's Ark and Tower of Babel with Kentucky taxpayer money! Previous pictures taken inside the "Creation Museum" attribute homosexuality as being an abomination. 

The freedom of religion is clearly outlined in the Section V of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  In addition, the Kentucky Supreme Court has repeatedly struck down funding to religious institutions. 

We are entitled to freedom of religion, and it is not the place of the Commonwealth to force religion on its citizens the way the Kentucky House of Representatives did when adopting the anti-gay Manhattan Declaration.  (Source: Kentucky Guardian - Kentucky's LGBTI News)   Recently, Apple removed the Manhattan Declaration, which condemns gay marriage, from their iPhone's. 

However, Kentucky lawmakers didn't stop there, they are currently wasting tax payer dollars defending a lawsuit to include "God as critical to the protection of the Commonwealth' in the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security."  (Source: Kentucky Guardian - Kentucky's LGBTI News) 

"The people of Kentucky didn't elect me Governor to debate religion," Beshear said. "They elected me Governor to create jobs. That's what we're doing here, and that's what we're going to continue to do."

However, by personally announcing the Ark project, Kentucky's chief of state, government, and commander-in-chief, has done exactly that.  Beshear said the group has applied for tax incentives via the Kentucky Tourism Development Act, and the fact that the project has a religious theme should not be a factor in the approval process. (Source: nky.com)

A similar, anti-gay "Creation Museum" was also developed in Kentucky. (Source: United We Stand - Kentucky Equality Federation's former blog)Another section of the anti-gay "Creation Museum" story is also covered here, when Kentucky Equality Federation defended the blogger of "Barefoot and Progressive" when a Lexington Magazine prohibited him from mentioning gay and lesbian people, or the Creation Museum

Kentucky Equality Federation's new official blog is located here: http://blog.kyequality.org

No Dinosaurs, or other scientific facts will be mentioned in the Ark project, and Kentucky Equality Federation has condemned its development if the Commonwealth provides tax incentives to the Ark project. 

Some political observers took issue with the Cabinet for Economic Development, which will handle application and oversee the incentives.  "What on earth is wrong with our economic development cabinet?" said Edgewood attorney Mark Guilfoyle. "They sit on their hands while the airport twists in the wind, then they spend time and energy incenting an amusement park? That cabinet has really misplaced priorities." 

Union, KY attorney and Camp Quest founder Ed Kagin, told the Kentucky Enquirer that Kentucky officials supporting a religious-themed project is 'questionable.'

Kentucky Equality Federation founder Jordan Palmer stated that he supports new jobs coming to the Commonwealth, but not with government tax incentives under government sponsored religion.

"If the Commonwealth provides tax incentives to the Ark project, we will attempt to form a coalition to challenge it as government sponsored religion," stated Richard T. Jones, Kentucky Equality Federation's Chairman of the Board.  "By adopting the Manhattan Declaration, and lawmakers filing 'friend of the court briefs' to uphold the law to 'Publicize the findings of the General Assembly stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth by including the provisions of KRS 39A.285(3) in its agency training and educational materials' the Commonwealth is creating a religious state and forcing a specific religion on the Commonwealth's citizens." 

SIGN THE PETITION BELOW CONDEMNING GOVERNMENT TAX INCENTIVES FOR GOVERNMENT SPONSORED RELIGION!

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This petition had 374 supporters

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